Friday 39 Sports Friday, April 24, 2020 Players back Federer over tennis merger as Nick Kyrgios hits out

PARIS: WTA founder Billie Jean King and Rafael completely agree that it would be great to get Nadal led a wave of support yesterday for out of this world crisis with the union of men’s Roger Federer’s suggestion that “now is the and women’s tennis in one only organisation.” time” to merge the men’s and women’s governing Federer and Nadal argued that a merger bodies, while tennis is at a standstill because of could help tennis recover from the coronavirus the coronavirus pandemic. shutdown, which has seen Wimbledon cancelled Federer, winner of a record 20 men’s Grand for the first time since World War II and the Slam crowns, said a merger of the Women’s Ten- French Open postponed from May to the end of nis Association (WTA) and the men’s Associa- September. tion of Tennis Professionals (ATP) “probably “It probably should have happened a long should have happened a long time ago” in a se- time ago, but maybe now is really the time,” Fed- ries of tweets. erer wrote. “These are The Swiss great’s tough times in every idea for one “stronger sport and we can come body” received an en- out of this with 2 weak- thusiastic response from Now is the ened bodies or 1 King, Nadal and leading stronger body.” women’s players such as time to merge former Wimbledon ‘HOW IS IT champions Simona GOOD FOR US? Halep, Petra Kvitova and He said the current Roger Federer Garbine Muguruza, but system was “too confus- controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios expressed ing for the fans when there are different ranking reservations. systems, different logos, different websites, dif- they think about merging with the WTA and how collaboration had come up during talks about “Just wondering... am I the only one thinking ferent tournament categories”. World number it is good for us?” tweeted the world number 40, how to proceed when the COVID-19 crisis that now is the time for men’s and women’s ten- two and reigning Wimbledon champion Halep renowned for his outspoken views. Three-time eases. “All of the bodies coming together and nis to be united and come together as one?” agreed, tweeting that Federer was “not the only Grand Slam winner Stanislas Wawrinka claimed discussing the calendar, a way forward, player Federer posed to his 12.7 million Twitter follow- one” thinking along those lines, while Muguruza the subject had already been discussed by the relief and many, many other topics. That could ers. Trailblazer King, who was instrumental in es- added, “Yes, would be a good idea”. ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi. be the positive outcome of this,” he said on ATP tablishing the WTA in 1973, said such a merger Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova “It was not just a comment like that, there is Tennis Radio. “Finally, the governing bodies of “has long been my vision for tennis”. tweeted: “Hands up if you agree with more talk behind that. Gaudenzi at the ATP was tennis and the Grand Slams are getting together “I agree, and have been saying so since the @rogerfederer,” alongside a raised-hand emoji. already talking about it,” he said during an In- and working collaboratively on the long-term early 1970s. One voice, women and men to- But Kyrgios said he was yet to be convinced, stagram Live with 18-time Grand Slam champion future of the sport,” confirmed the 46-year-old gether... Let’s make it happen,” she tweeted. adding that players should be consulted. Chris Evert. Gaudenzi, who took charge in Jan- Italian, who as a player won three ATP Tour titles Nadal, who has 19 Grand Slam titles, posted: “I “Did anyone ask the majority of the ATP, what uary, said last week that the subject of closer and reached 18 in the rankings. — AFP

April 22, Fulham went 950 kilometres by bus to Mourinho’s ambush Hamburg. In order to face Atletico Madrid in COVID-19 crisis which has killed over Spain, Liverpool covered 2,000 kilometres by Caution needed 25,000 people. train to Bordeaux, changing in London and Paris, “I can assure you that maintaining a profile of Barca under and then went the last 700 kilometres by plane. of extreme prudence, as I am doing, is the Lyon and Liverpool both lost 1-0, a disadvan- over return to most unpopular position imaginable,” volcanic cloud tage neither could overturn in the second legs. Spadafora later said in a post on Facebook. Fulham drew 0-0 on their way to their first Eu- football: Italy “But we have the duty and responsibility to PARIS: Ten years ago this week, Barcelona ropean final. But the most volcanic encounter ensure that the whole country, obviously in- limped home from a Champions League semi- began at San Siro on April 20. cluding the world of sport, can soon emerge final first-leg defeat blaming a volcano thou- Barcelona made their 1,000-kilometre trek to ROME: Italy’s sports minister Vincenzo from this health crisis. “I am also a fan who sands of kilometres away and stoking the Milan over two days, spending a night en route Spadafora warned on Wednesday caution was misses following my team. smouldering fires of Jose Mourinho’s feud with in Cannes. Coach Pep Guardiola used the 14 needed as he promised a decision “in the “I was looking forward to the European their club and their coach. hours on the coach to show his squad match coming days” on whether Italian football clubs championships this summer, but they will be The eruption of Eyjafjallajoekull on Iceland videos but they also watched Invictus and In- can return to training amid the coronavirus postponed, like the Olympics, the Giro d’Italia had sent a plume of ash drifting across Europe, glourious Basterds. Meanwhile, in Milan, Mour- pandemic. and all sports competitions in our country. grounding flights and playing havoc with the inho schemed. Spadafora held a two-hour video-confer- “It is a huge disappointment, in a much sports calendar. This tie might have marked the start of his ence with representatives of Italian football, bigger and deeper pain, in an atrocious A MotoGP race scheduled for Japan on April spiky battle with Guardiola, but it was not the including federation chiefs, professional and mourning that has struck our country, Europe, 25 was postponed until October because teams start of Mourinho’s grudge with Barcelona. amateurs leagues, players and doctors. the whole world.” The 20 Serie A clubs voted and riders could not get there. “I listened with great attention to the var- Mourinho had joined Barca in 1996, when his unanimously on Tuesday to complete the As bad luck would have it, Newcastle United ious positions that emerged and in the next mentor, Bobby Robson, became coach. Mour- league season, which has been suspended faced the longest away trip in English football on few days, after a discussion with the Minister inho translated, but also organised training and since March 9. The federation presented April 19. They made the 650-kilometre (404- of Health and the Technical Scientific Com- played an increasing role in coaching, taking Spadafora with a medical code to allow the mile) journey to Plymouth Argyle for a Monday mittee, we will issue the updated provisions over the B team under Robson’s successor, Louis resumption of competition. Players could start night game by coach and won, 2-0, to secure regarding the possibility and the procedures training again, in small groups and under strict promotion and relegate the hosts. van Gaal. Guardiola was team captain for most for a return to training,” said Spadafora. All of Mourinho’s time at the club. Mourinho made medical supervision, from May 4, the date on In Europe, Lyon travelled 730 kilometres to sport in Italy has been suspended for the past which the government plans to start easing the an explosive return with Chelsea in the Champi- face Bayern Munich in the Champions League six weeks as the country grapples with the containment measures. — AFP on April 21. For the Europa League semis on ons League in 2005. — AFP